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Friday, March 18, 2011

Awesome Things in Other Countries

What is it about travelling that excites you?

For me it’s about seeing people living their day-to-day lives so differently from what we are used to in our own country, under our own norms and beliefs. As much as I love going to historic places to see what life was like for the people decades ago, I also love to explore what life is like; as off right now, in various parts of the world. Whenever I travel, one of the things that I’m keen on observing is how people make things work; how they make use of technology to help them in their everyday activities. A lot of time I experience using their way of getting things done, say for example; a simpler way of eating a pizza without dirtying our hands, and go hey that was awesome okay, why didn’t we think of that?!

Awesome!

Can we also have this awesome invention everywhere already? Because sometimes normal trolley is too big for such a small space, and I can’t limit my groceries just because my hand is about to tercabut from carrying the basket.

I always compare their efficiency with our own and what can be adapted into our system (obviously am a big dreamer, but hey it’s a start), especially when experiencing their public transport.

Scan this code with your smartphone and you’ll have Germany’s train application that tells the arrival time, route, ticket prices. Awesome!

In Hong Kong’s MTR, just refer to the LED lights to know your route and the next station. Can I hear another; awesome!

People really follow these arrows and no one gets in the way of exiting passengers; Hong Kong’s MTR. And if you notice, there’s the auto glass door which means, not only no one can cross the railway, the train really stops at the exact spot it’s supposed to. You won’t find yourself standing at the kengkonon entrance but the train stops further away LOL.

Besides that, I ♥ observing and learning about their culture; and I’m not talking about the dances and traditional costumes. But more on the way they interact with one another, their moving pace, work attitude, and common courtesy on which some might leave me thankful (for what we are practicing) while the others opened my eyes to what we are lacking.

China’s workers are extremely efficient because there are too many people in the country and no one is willing to lose their jobs. The moment your bottom touches the seat, they’ll serve you like a king.

Indonesians love entertainment and providing entertainment.

I love paying attention to family bonding culture too. Is it the father or the mother that holds the child when they are out and about? Who walks in front and who pays the bill? How many children do they usually have and does the teenager still go out with their folks? Sometimes I see just the father and children having a fun day out, and think to myself we don’t often see that in Malaysia.

Going places also made me realize, if I were to enhance my learning experience throughout all these travelling, I must master the basic of the local language. I mean, yes the language barriers could be fun for a while, but I know I can gain more if I can understand what’s everyone around me is saying or have a decent conversation with the person sitting next to me on the train.

My advice (to myself as well); once in a while, be a traveller, not a tourist. Live like the locals and experience their public transportation, street food and etc. Prior to that, master the basic of local language. But hey, if the idea of being a tourist excites you more, especially on a free sponsored vacation, you might want to brush up on your ciao, bon appetite, and adios for what I’m about to tell you.

Whooo… wants to enjoy an awesome 8 days 7 nights trip in cities of Italy?!

Thanks to a contest by the awesome Sunkist *imagining their orange juice, salivates*. All you have to do is purchase the Sunkist pack with the word ‘AWESOME’ and take an awesome picture with it and then submit your awesome photo here, link. Honestly, with such an awesome prize, it’s not gonna be easy. But there’s always the weekly prizes for weekly winners (RM500 each week) and RM100 for highest weekly voters.

Try to be more awesome than us first! *provoke*

Found anything awesome about other countries? Share please jangan kedekut.

There's a self service cashier counter in d supermarket in UK where you pack ur own purchases and insert d notes & coins in the machine, so theres no cashier at all. Efficient service kan..so employer pun jimat xyah employ cashier ramai2. Wish we have tht in M'sia! :)

Have you ever travelling to the New Zealand? It is very nice place.I already go there for thelast 2 years. The awesome thing that is New Zealand was one of the country that has two official national anthem.First is God save the queen and the other is god defend New Zealand.. :)

London's Tube system is by far the best I've been to, granted maybe there may be other places that offer better services. Tube maps are widely distributed, there are apps for smartphones as well. And even if some lines are closed,they'll prompt you earlier. Its so convoluted but they made it in a way that's very accessible and easy to understand at the same time.

I read on someone else's blog that,in Tokyo, they have Automatic Parking System so it lessen the hassle to look for a parking spot. Not sure if it is implemented in all or only certain areas. You just put the car in a space provided and it will park your car for you. Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtiLiPTWtDs

Another one is that, a friend of mine who used to study in Korea had told me about a gadget that vibrates to tell you when your food is ready. It's like the size of an Anroid. So using this you don't have to keep coming to the waiter to know if it is ready. In Japan they have this pen which you scans your order on the menu and deliver the message to the cook. Awesome right? http://www.gadgetlite.com/2008/03/14/gadgets-that-may-replace-restaurant-waiters-the-deli-touch-food-ordering-system/

I also do a lot of travelling and I'm also always curious to know how people from other countries uses technology. =)

1) The men selalunya kalau gentlemen adalah sangatttt gentlemen. They look up to women & jika nak mengorat pun they'll ask straight away: Do you have a boyfriend? Married?. If we say yes they'll say okay we back off :)

10) Umur 18tahun habis high school, children akan mula keluar dari rumah belajar hidup sendiri. Almost 80% of students in my uni bekerja & study at the same time untuk sara education & cost of living sendiri. Sebab parents diorang memang train them to be responsible over your own life that early. They'll live on their own, earn their own money, pay for education by their own effort, & selagi boleh tanggung segalanya adalah sendiri. Parents takkan masuk campur, just to teach the kids the value of money.

Language barrier can be a pain in the ass. Went to Spain recently and met a girl who doesn't know any english, luckily I penah ambik Spanish for my elective so boleh la paham sikit2.

Malaysia patut buat system 'all-in-one ticket'. Bayar satu ticket for certain period of time and boleh guna semua jenis public transport. They do that in most of the European countries. (Dublin should do the same too...demmit)